Ghana agrees to accept U.S. deportees from West Africa, president confirms

Ghana has agreed to receive West African nationals deported from the United States, with 14 individuals — including Nigerians and a Gambian — already processed through Accra, President John Dramani Mahama said late Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference, Mahama explained that the Ghanaian government had facilitated the return of the deportees to their home countries. He did not specify a cap on the number of deportees Ghana would accept but stressed that the decision was consistent with the country’s regional obligations.

“We were approached by the U.S. to accept third-party nationals who were being removed from the U.S., and we agreed with them that West African nationals were acceptable because all our fellow West Africans don’t need a visa to come to our country,” Mahama said.The move comes amid President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration drive, which seeks to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and expand removals to so-called “third countries.” The administration has been pressing African governments to participate, framing the transfers as a deterrent to illegal migration.

In recent months, the U.S. deported five people to Eswatini and eight to South Sudan. Rwanda also received seven deportees in August under a deal that allows for the transfer of up to 250 individuals.

While Mahama did not attend the July 9 meeting where Trump hosted five West African leaders at the White House, sources later told Reuters that one of Washington’s objectives was to secure commitments from African states to take in deportees from outside their borders.

Some migrants and rights advocates have voiced concern over the policy, warning that deportees may face safety risks or instability in the countries where they are relocated.